Template for use in marking firebrick preparatory to cutting for fireboxes of fireplaces and similar structures

ABSTRACT

A reversible template for use in marking firebrick such as those used in constructing the right and left hand sidewalls of fireboxes and similar structures. The template comprises a flat plate having a straight edge on one side thereof and a fulcrum point at the top of that edge for alignment with the top surface of a brick to be marked. The plate has a plurality of index points visible therethrough and spaced at selected predetermined distance the fulcrum point. Rotating the plate about the fulcrum point when such is aligned with the top surface of the brick and aligning a top corner of the brick with a selected index point positions the straight edge of the plate for marking the side surface of the brick at the opposite end thereof on an angle and to a length determined by the index point so selected.

United States Patent Kwast [451 Apr. 25, 1972 Gerald M. Kwast, 1690 Cleveland, Corvallis, Oreg. 97330 Filed: Oct. 5, 1970 Appl. No.: 77,901

Related U.S. Application Data Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 821,886, May 5, 1969, abandoned.

inventor:

U.S. Cl. ..33/l74 G, 33/104 ..B43l 13/20 Field of Search ..33/174 G, 90,91,92, 104,

References Cited Primary Examiner-Leonard Forman Assistant Examiner-Paul G. Foldes Attorney-Buckhorn, Blore, Klarquist and Sparkman [57] ABSTRACT A reversible template for use in marking firebrick such as those used in constructing the right and left hand sidewalls of fireboxes and similar structures. The template comprises a flat plate having a straight edge on one side thereof and a fulcrum point at the top of that edge for alignment with the top surface of a brick to be marked. The plate has a plurality of index points visible therethrough and spaced at selected predetermined distance the fulcrum point. Rotating the plate about the fulcrum point when such is aligned with the top surface of the brick and aligning a top corner of the brick with a selected index point positions the straight edge of the plate for marking the side surface of the brick at the opposite end thereof on an angle and to a length determined by the index point so selected.

4 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures PATENTED- R 25 I912 3, 657. 824

SHEET 2 0F 3 GERALD M. KWAST t: INVENTOR.

II-JEYI'EDAFF: 25 I972 3. 6 57. 8 24 SHEET 3 OF 3 GERALD M KWAST INVENTOR BY BUCKHORN, BLORE, KLARQUIST & SPARKMAN ATTORNEYS TEMPLATE FOR USE IN MARKING FIREBRICK PREPARATORY TO CUTTING FOR FIREBOXES OF FIREPLACES AND SIMILAR STRUCTURES CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is a continuation-in-part of my prior copending application Ser. No. 821 ,886 filed May 5, 1969, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Cutting the innermost bricks in the several courses forming the sidewalls of a fire box has posed a difficult and time consuming problem since both the lengths of these bricks and the angles on which they are cut vary from course to course.

Templates heretofore available have not been able simultaneously to mark both the length and the angle of the cut necessary for each brick. Natkie U.S. Pat. No. 2,71 1,025 discloses a rafter measuring device providing for the correct angular cut at the end of a rafter once its true length is obtained from a table provided. The device, however, is not a template inasmuch as it cannot, by itself, determine the final shape of the product to be cut. It is not able simultaneously to mark both the length and the end angle of the article, thus to be impractical in marking fire brick.

Accordingly, it is the primary object of the present invention to provide a template of the character described which will be simple, efficient, durable and of inexpensive construction, and which can serve as a pattern to determine the final shape of articles to be cut to irregular shapes.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a template that is capable of simultaneously marking both the end angle and the length of bricks and like articles that must be cut to irregular shapes.

A further object of the present invention is to provide such a template which is reversible for first marking bricks for constructing one sidewall of a fire box and then the bricks for the opposite sidewall.

A further object of the present invention is to provide such a template which will be positive and accurate in operation and will be usable in marking bricks for cutting and laying in angular abutment or relation to adjacent bricks in any structure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a template made in accordance with my invention.

FIG. 2 is an end view of the left end of the template illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 are sectional views taken, respectively, on lines 3-3, 4-4 and 5-5 ofFIG. l. 7

FIGS. 6 and 7 are elevational views, respectively, of the left and right hand sidewalls of a fire box.

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but to a reduced scale, showing a template operationally and structurally identical with that shown in FIG. I in position to mark fire brick for cutting.

FIG. 9 is an elevational view ofa different embodiment ofa template according to the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view on line ll0 of FIG. 9.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS With reference to the drawings wherein like reference numerals designate like parts and particularly with reference to FIGS. 1-5, reference numeral 1 indicates generally a fiat steel plate undercut or recessed as at 2 at one of its top ends or corners to receive, by welding or any other suitable securing means, a fulcrum in the form of a metal bar or crossarm 3 tapering to a knife edge 4 at the top end of a straight edge on plate 1 for placement upon the top surface 6 of a firebn'ck 7 as illustrated in FIG. 8.

The courses of brick laid to build a left and right sidewall of a firebox, as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, are numbered from 1 to 13 from the bottom to the top of each wall. In the conventional manner of constructing such sidewalls, the innermost brick of each course must be cut on an angle to match its respective abutment with the corresponding course of bricks in the backwall of the fire box, not shown. Accordingly, the bricks of the sidewalls must first be marked for cutting to the lengths and on the matching angles just described.

Template 1 is provided with a plurality of sight openings therethrough at intervals spaced selectively horizontally and vertically from the knife edge 4. Such sight openings each comprise a pointed portion, which may be a substantially right angle portion as shown, the apices or points of which portions define index points, numbered from 1 through 13 as shown, corresponding to the numbered courses in the sidewalls of the fire box and defining lines of predetermined lengths radiating from the fulcrum or crossarm 3, such index points corresponding to the selected shapes to which the bricks are to be cut.

The crossarm 3, with plate 1 held flatwise against the side of the brick 7 and with the knife edge 4 of crossarm 3 resting upon the top surface 6, provides a pivot for swinging plate 1 upwardly or downwardly selectively to register, for example, the apex of the right angle portion of index point 9 with the top rear comer of the brick for course 9. This is as shown in the dotted lines in FIG. 8. Such a procedure correctly positions the straight edge 5 of plate 1 for marking the end of the brick preparatory to cutting the same on the angle corresponding to the correct angle of the brick at the inner end of course 9 in FIG. 6, and to the correct length.

To mark a brick for cutting on the angle indicated and to the length required for course 12, crossarm 3 is placed upon the top surface 6 of the brick 7 and the plate 1 is swung downwardly until the apex of the right angle portion of index point 12 is seen to be in register with the upper right corner of the brick. This is as shown in the broken lines in FIG. 8. With plate 1 firmly held against the brick, the opposite end is then marked along straight edge 5 as shown.

The same operative steps apply in placing the other index points in register with the top rear corners of other bricks to be marked for cutting for the respective remaining courses of the sidewalls of the fireplace.

Since the index points are numbered identically on both sides of plate 1, and crossarm 3 extends outwardly from both sides of the plate, it will be readily apparent that by reversing the plate end-for-end, bricks can be marked for cutting on appropriate angles and to the correct length for either sidewall of the firebox.

FIG. 9 illustrates a template 20 constructed of transparent plastic material and having a fulcrum point 21 at one end thereof to serve as a point about which plate 20 may be rotated. Plate 20 is provided with a straight edge 24 extending downwardly from point 21 for use in marking the correct angles and lengths of bricks to be cut.

A plurality of index points are marked, for example, from 1 to 13 and comprise the intersections 26 of crossed lines 27 scribed on the plate, such points being selected at predetermined distances horizontally and vertically from fulcrum point 21. Rotating the plate about point 21 when the same is aligned with the top surface of a brick, and placing a selected index point in register with the top corner thereof by sighting through the plate, positions straight edge 24 correctly for marking the side surface of the brick at the opposite end thereof on the correct angle and to the correct length for the particular course desired.

In the foregoing description the invention has been described with reference to certain particular preferred embodiments, although it is to be understood that the specific details shown are merely illustrative and that the invention may be carried out in other ways without departing from the true spirit and scope of the following appended claims.

Iclaim:

l. A template for use in marking bricks and the like preparatory to cutting and laying the same, comprising a flat plate of substantially the same size as a brick to be cut and adapted for placement against the side surface thereof, said plate having a straight edge and a fulcrum point at one end of the operative portion thereof, said fulcrum point being adapted to be located on the top edge of said brick and to serve as a point about which said plate may be rotated; and

means to indicate when said fulcrum point is in alignment with said top edge of said brick;

said plate having a series of index points visible there through and spaced at selected predetermined distances horizontally and vertically from said fulcrum point, said series of points serving to indicate a sequential increase in length and angle for a desired curve to be delineated,

whereby when said fulcrum pointris located on said top of said edge of said brick and a selected index point placed in register with a top corner of said brick, said straight edge of said plate is in position for marking the side surface of said brick at the opposite end thereof on an angle and to a length determined by the index point so selected.

2. A template for use in marking bricks and the like preparatory to cutting and laying the same, comprising a flat rigid plate adapted for placement against the side surface of a brick to be marked; and

a crossarm secured adjacent one of the top corners of said plate for placement on the top surface of said brick, said crossarm having a knife edge to serve as a fulcrum for selective rotation of said plate on said top surface of said brick and against said side surface thereof;

one end of said plate providing a straight edge extending downwardly from said fulcrum across said side surface of said brick;

said plate having sight openings therethrough at intervals selectively spaced at predetermined distances horizontally and vertically from said fulcrum, each of said sight openings comprising a pointed portion, the points of said portions defining a series of index points on lines radiating from said fulcrum and corresponding to selected shapes to which said bricks are to be cut, said series of points serving to indicate a sequential increase in length and angle for a desired curve to be delineated,

whereby rotating said plate about said fulcrum and aligning the pointed portion of a selected index point through its respective sight opening with a top corner of said brick will position said straight edge of said plate for marking said side surface of said brick at the opposite end thereof on an angle and to a length determined by the index point so selected.

3. The template of claim 2 in which each of said sight openings comprises a right angle portion, the apex of saidright angle portion defining an index point, the right angle portion of a selected index point being adapted to be placed in register with a top comer of said brick for marking the opposite end thereof along said straight edge of said plate.

4. The template of claim 2 in which said crossarm extends outwardly from both sides of said plate and said index points are numbered identically on both sides of said plate for selectively marking bricks for cutting and installation in opposite hand sidewalls of a brick structure. 

1. A template for use in marking bricks and the like preparatory to cutting and laying the same, comprising a flat plate of substantially the same size as a brick to be cut and adapted for placement against the side surface thereof, said plate having a straight edge and a fulcrum point at one end of the operative portion thereof, said fulcrum point being adapted to be located on the top edge of said brick and to serve as a point about which said plate may be rotated; and means to indicate when said fulcrum point is in alignment with said top edge of said brick; said plate having a series of index points visible there through and spaced at selected predetermined distances horizontally and vertically from said fulcrum point, said series of points serving to indicate a sequential increase in length and angle for a desired curve to be delineated, whereby when said fulcrum point is located on said top of said edge of said brick and a selected index point placed in register with a top corner of said brick, said straight edge of said plate is in position for marking the side surface of said brick at the opposite end thereof on an angle and to a length determined by the index point so selected.
 2. A template for use in marking bricks and the like preparatory to cutting and laying the same, comprising a flat rigid plate adapted for placement against the side surface of a brick to be marked; and a crossarm secured adjacent one of the top corners of said plate for placement on the top surface of said brick, said crossarm having a knife edge to serve as a fulcrum for selective rotation of said plate on said top surface of said brick and against said side surface thereof; one end of said plate providing a straight edge extending downwardly from said fulcrum across said side surface of said brick; said plate having sight openings therethrough at intervals selectively spaced at predetermined distances horizontally and vertically from said fulcrum, each of said sight openings comprising a pointed portion, the points of said portions defining a series of index points on lines radiating from said fulcrum and corresponding to selected shapes to which said bricks are to be cut, said series of points serving to indicate a sequential increase in length and angle for a desired curve to be delineated, whereby rotating said plate about said fulcrum and aligning the pointed portion of a selected index point through its respective sight opening with a top corner of said brick will position said straight edge of said plate for marking said side surface of said brick at the opposite end thereof on an angle and to a length determined by the index point so selected.
 3. The template of claim 2 in which each of said sight openings comprises a right angle portion, the apex of said right angle portion defining an index point, the right angle portion of a selected index point being adapted to be placed in register with a top corner of said brick for marking the opposite end thereof along said straight edge of said plate.
 4. The template of claim 2 in which saId crossarm extends outwardly from both sides of said plate and said index points are numbered identically on both sides of said plate for selectively marking bricks for cutting and installation in opposite hand sidewalls of a brick structure. 